The Hope Street in Whittleasea program provides residential accommodation to young people and young families with intensive one-to-one assistance to be active participants in creating opportunities to strengthen their housing, employment, education, training and personal and social development. Support is provided within a model of five units for young singles and two units for young families.

The program:

is an intensive outreach support service offering an integrated case management to young people with links to the City of Whittlesea

proactively assists young people to develop resilience through effective integration and interdependence with their local communities

is not a crisis support or crisis accommodation program

What does the program offer?

Intensive individualised case management:

strong one to one relationship between case work and service user

flexible service delivery model including tailored levels of support to young people's needs

focus on re/connections with significant familial, personal and social relationships

building links with key agencies/groups in community to achieve young people's goals

a continued flexible approach when young people move into interdependent living

highly skilled workers within a highly responsive program

Living Skills Program:

robust series of group work sessions covering topics such as sustaining a successful tenancy; accessing and sustaining employment, education, training; personal and social development; citizenship and participation

utilising and valuing young people's skills and experiences as contributors and facilitators to the Living Skills Program

Integration with community:

connecting young people as meaningful participants (capacity building) with their local communities through employment, education, personal and citizen opportunities

the program connecting as a meaningful participant in local communities via partnership and community capacity building activities

joint initiatives with local community groups and agencies

How can young people enter this program?

Young people must be:

16 - 21 years of age—priority will be given to those 19 years and under

individuals or part of a couple / family (eg siblings, single parent and child, couple and child)

in receipt of an income that allows for independent living (purchase food, pay rent, travel, etc)

able to perform a basic level of independent living skills in activities such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, self regulated routine

willing and have the capacity to participate in the program

Please contact your nearest access point(s) listed on this page to find out more about entering this program.

OUTCOMES SUMMARY

In the 2015-16 period, the program assisted a total of 35 clients, including 8 children:

12 were born overseas—the program has seen an increase in young people born overseas being referred over the last 12 months with 58% of new referrals born in countries within, or adjacent to, the Horn of Africa

7 identified as being of Aboriginal heritage

13 clients transitioned from the program:

38% were supported to reunite with their extended family

31% successfully secured public housing

23% were supported to access a private rental property

8% transitioned into a long-term community supported accommodation program

Learn more about young people's achievements from our program report below.